MUSA Underwater Museum: A Unique Scuba Diving Experience

If you’re visiting Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and other nearby resort cities, you have to check out the MUSA Underwater Museum for a unique diving experience! There are over 500 underwater sculptures placed in various areas near Isla Mujeres/Cancun and the exhibit helps promote ocean and marine life conservation. The permanent sculptures serve as an attraction for divers to lessen the number of tourists to visit the main reefs. They also allow for the coral reef to grow on the sculptures and serve as permanent homes for various aquatic animals.
MUSA Underwater Museum
MUSA Underwater MuseumMUSA Underwater Museum

Diving around these sculptures was really cool and interesting, but at times it felt a little creepy looking at these statues up close. The best way I can describe the dive is like seeing objects being trapped in time, sort of like the underwater version of Pompeii, and slowly nature takes over these objects. At least the aquatic animals don’t mind, as they appear to be thriving around the museum.

MUSA Underwater Museum

MUSA Underwater Museum

MUSA Underwater Museum

Near the museum is also boat wreckage and several coral reef systems where there were huge congregations of fish and various other species!
MUSA Underwater MuseumMUSA Underwater Museum MUSA Underwater Museum MUSA Underwater Museum MUSA Underwater Museum

You can also view this museum by snorkeling and also take boats with glass floors but, in my honest opinion, the best way to see it is to scuba dive so you can get up close and personal with these timeless sculptures! You can take a PADI two-dive course to learn the basics of diving, then get a chance to explore the museum.

Check out the video of my dive at the MUSA Underwater Museum:

 

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Scuba Diving in the Reefs of Roatan Island, Honduras

During our cruise, we stopped by Roatan Island of Honduras for a scuba diving expedition. Roatan is a tiny island located 40 miles off mainland Honduras. It’s so small that you can drive around the whole island in about 45 minutes. The population has grown fairly rapidly and has become a tourist destination for water activities but some parts are still uninhabited and covered in forests. The island is set on the southern part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system after the Great Barrier Reef.

Port of Roatan Island, Honduras
Port of Roatan Island, Honduras

I’m always excited for a scuba dive trip! Scuba diving is always thrilling because I feel like I am exploring an unknown world. I always have that sense of excitement and exhilaration before a dive, but once I’m underwater I feel such a calm and peacefulness exploring a strange new place. I was definitely pumped for this dive, especially since I would see part of the Mesoamerican Reef system!

The PADI team at Anthony’s Key Resort arranged a two-dive trip for us. We were picked up from the port with a group of divers and taken to the resort for dive prep. The team did a normal pre-dive class for safety and reef conservation. The first dive was a practice dive for Mat to get comfortable with diving and obtain her PADI certification. Then second dive was dedicated to exploring the reef. Check out the video of our dive:

Diving in Roatan was amazing as I imagined. The reef was teeming with various species of coral and marine life. We came across many species of fish of vibrant colors and size and we also found a family of spiny lobsters hiding in the coral. They probably didn’t want us getting to close to them! There was also a sea turtle swimming near us, but it kept swimming further away and we could not get close enough. Luckily, our dive guides got the turtle on camera as it was cruising away. There was also colorful squid and cuttlefish in other areas.

One dive in the reef was not enough to explore this vast reef system! We just didn’t have enough time but we’re hoping to go back and explore the reef system further. Check out the rest of the photos and let us know what your favorite dive sites are!

Scuba Diving in Reef off RoatanSpiny Lobsters Hiding in the Reef

Scuba Diving in Reef off Roatan Scuba Diving in Reef off Roatan Scuba Diving in Reef off Roatan Scuba Diving in Reef off Roatan Scuba Diving in Reef off Roatan

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Addiction Aquatic Development – Paradise for Seafood Enthusiasts in Taipei

If you’re looking for fresh seafood, the Addiction Aquatic Development is a must-see in Taipei. Seafood enthusiasts will be able to try a variety of fresh seafood such as fish, crabs, lobsters and other shellfish.

We first went into the seafood market that houses tanks of various live marine animals, including huge king crabs, spiny lobsters, tiger shrimp, various mollusks, and fish. You can see the selection and pricing of the seafood and make purchases here. Although the prices seem expensive, items are relatively reasonably priced since there is no middle-man driving up costs. You can also buy already prepared and cooked food.

Next to the tanks in the same building is the market, kitchens and restaurants. You can see the kitchens preparing a wide selection seafood meals such as sushi and sashimi boxes, raw oysters, other seafood and frozen goods. It also serves as a normal market where you can also buy fruits, vegetables, beverages and other goods.

We were excited to try some fresh seafood, so we went to the sushi bar for lunch. Although it was very busy, we only had to wait 20 minutes for our space. We ordered a platter of items that included lobster, crab, tiger shrimp, oysters, and fish, which cost us around $120 USD for four of us. It was well worth the price as the food quality was so fresh and delicious! There wasn’t anything we didn’t like and would’ve gotten a lot more if we had more cash! The service was also good and the waiters were very patient with us when we asked for something. It’s definitely a must-eat when you visit!

Afterwards, we did get a few sushi boxes to try out, which were pretty affordable at around $8-10 USD. They were good but you could tell the quality was not as high compared to the sushi bar. It’s more comparable to store-bought sushi than restaurant quality sushi, which is what you’d expect for those prices. There is also an outdoor restaurant for hot pot and grilled seafood but we did not get to try it.

So if you’re craving some seafood, the Aquatic Addiction Development is the place to go!

Some tips to know when you visit:

1. It can be very crowded during peak hours and weekends. Seating is very limited but there are standing tables available. It may be better to visit during off hours and weekdays.

2. Only cash is accepted at the Addiction Aquatic Development, no credit cards. Be sure to bring enough cash for the amount you want to eat, which I recommend around $50-100 USD (about NT$1500-3000) per person to be safe.

3. Menus do not provide English translation, but you can point to the menu based on how much you want to spend. Most of the items are pre-set platters so you don’t have to order individual items. You can also try bringing translations for what you want to order specifically.

Visit the Aquatic Addiction Development website here for more information.

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Caye Caulker Sharks & Rays Tour in Belize

The second stop of our cruise was the port of Belize City, but we chose to do a sharks & rays excursion near Caye Caulker, a tiny island accessible by a one-hour boat ride. The locals will welcome you with two sayings: “No shirt, no shoes, no problem” and “Go Slow,” indicative of the easygoing lifestyle. The island is absolutely stunning, surrounded by powdery white sand, turquoise water, and cool windy breezes. And with very affordable hotel rates and many seafood dining options, it’s pretty easy to envision just unwinding, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful atmosphere. It’s also a prime destination for anyone looking for water activities, such as kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving.

Caye Caulker Island  Caye Caulker Island

Our excursion was located by a section of the Belize Barrier Reef, just a few minutes off Caye Caulker. Our tour was primarily looking for nurse sharks and stingrays. When we arrived at our location, we immediately spotted three or four sharks and at least a dozen rays. Neither creature is dangerous and they are very docile animals. Plus the water depth is very shallow, so this is a terrific activity for people of all ages and swimming levels. Our tour guy brought out bait to lure the animals close to the tour group, and we were surrounded by big numbers rays and sharks. Also attracted to the bait were a pair of large barracuda, one of them named “Barry the Barracuda,” and a large snapper that kept greedily going after the bait. We also went to the edge of the reef to check out other marine life and learn more about the animals that inhabited the area.

We had an amazing experience swimming with the sharks and rays and getting a taste of Caye Caulker. Unfortunately, one day is not even close to enough to experiencing this paradise, so we have no choice but to come back and enjoy for a much longer stay. Check out the video and photos for this fun excursion and Caye Caulker:

Caye Caulker Belize Barrier Reef Sharks & Rays

Caye Caulker Belize Barrier Reef Sharks & Rays Caye Caulker Belize Barrier Reef Sharks & Rays BELIZE_377 Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 12.59.58 PM Nurse Shark Caye Caulker Barracuda Stingrays Caye Caulker Island, Belize Caye Caulker Island, Belize Caye Caulker Island, Belize Caye Caulker Island, Belize Caye Caulker Island, Belize Caye Caulker Island, Belize

 

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